At Albany Rotary Club’s weekly meeting, a panel formed by the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce named the Albany Technical College 2020 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner. Rondell Williams, Radiologic Technology student at Albany Tech, will represent the College for 2020 as the GOAL Student of the Year.

Albany Tech’s nominees for GOAL included: Jeanette Bradley, Health Information Management Technology; Kevin Brown, Automotive Collision Repair; Barrington Bryan, Professional Firefighter; Darrius Childs, Early Childhood Care and Education; Courtney Dixon, Culinary Arts; Laura Goddard, Business Logistics Management; Rachel Harris, Business Technology; Delysia McAllister, Marketing Management; Dreshaun Newberry, Dental Assisting; Bertha Oxford, Dental Assisting; and Christina Peak, Accounting.

The final three GOAL nominees were Darrius Childs (Early Childhood Care and Education); Laura Goddard (Business Logistics Management); and Rondell Williams (Radiologic Technology). 

 Williams, a native of Tampa, FL, was nominated to the GOAL program by Dean of Academic Affairs for Healthcare Technology Lisa Stephens. A 2014 graduate of Westover High School, Williams served two years in the U.S. Marine Corps, assigned to air traffic control duty. In December 2020, he will receive his associate of applied science degree in Radiologic Technology from Albany Tech. He then plans to earn a certification in computed tomography (MRI and CT exams) in spring 2021. The advanced medical imaging degree and certification is new at the College beginning this spring semester. In addition to his plans to graduate at the top of his class, Williams also finds time to volunteer as a men’s wrestling coach, having wrestled on award-winning teams in high school.  

 “I plan to enjoy this journey and do my best to represent Albany Tech at the regional and state levels of GOAL,” Williams said. “It is an honor and an opportunity to serve as an ambassador of technical education for the College, and hopefully, the Technical College System of Georgia. This is an honor and the beginning of the next chapter in my life.”

Also introduced at the Albany Rotary Club meeting was Stephanie Wilkerson, 2020 Rick Perkins Award Instructor of the Year for Albany Tech. Wilkerson is the Department Chair/Instructor in the Early Childhood Care and Education program. She has been a faculty member at Albany Tech since 2016 and has more than 21 years of classroom teaching experience. Wilkerson was nominated for the Instructor of the Year Award by Angela Robinson, Dean of Academic Affairs Education and Personal Services. In nominating Wilkerson, Dean Robinson said, “Stephanie brings an open mind, a positive attitude, high expectations, and almost two decades of teaching experience to the classroom each day. She is focused on sharing her attributes with students at Albany Tech.” Wilkerson is a graduate of Monroe High School and Albany State University (B.S. Early Childhood Education and M.Ed.).

The next phase of GOAL and Instructor of the Year competition will be on the regional level on February 20 at the Tifton campus of Southern Regional Tech. The Southern Region includes Albany Technical College, Coastal Pines Technical College, Ogeechee Technical College, South Georgia Technical College, Savannah Technical College, Southern Regional Technical College, and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

The TCSG State competition for both programs will be held April 20-23 in Atlanta. Each GOAL winner and Instructor of the Year from all 22 technical colleges in Georgia will be represented at the state competition. The state GOAL winner becomes the student spokesperson for technical education in Georgia for the entire year and is awarded a car from Kia Motors.